February 10, 2011
City to give union bonus in lieu of raise Local 9110 will get $300 cash payment, 1.5% raise in 2012, 2% in 2013 By MARLA K. KUHLMAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers
The agreement that Gahanna City Council approved Feb. 7 regarding a labor agreement between the city and the United Steel, Paper & Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Local 9110 provides no wage increases this year. Finance director Angel Mumma said
the “zero percent” wage increase is a “huge accomplishment” given the economy. The agreement provides a 1.5-percent wage increase in 2012 and a 2-percent increase in 2013. Because those employees will receive no raises this year, as a gesture to get the agreement approved, Mumma said, each bargaining-unit member will receive a cash payment of $300 as a type of “signing bonus” that will be distrib-
uted in the first full pay period following council’s approval. “There are also some changes to health insurance, giving more responsibility to employees,” Mumma said. Robert Alexander, president of Local 9110, said the contract represents about 31 employees, so the “signing bonus” will amount to $9,300. By comparison, a 1.5-percent pay raise in the first year would have cost about $30,000, according to Mumma.
“We came to an agreement about two weeks ago,” Alexander said. “For the economy the way it is, we tried to do the best we could to work with the city through these hard times.” He said those members who voted on it favored the agreement unanimously. The majority of the employees covered by the contract are in the public-services department. Abby Cochran, human-resources coordinator, said the Steelworkers would
By MARLA K. KUHLMAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By MARLA K. KUHLMAN
Jefferson Elementary students are expressing love this Valentine’s Day in the form of homemade pillows for Nationwide Children’s Hospital patients. Music teacher Leslie Twigg coordinates what’s known as the “pillow project” that has developed into a schoolwide community service initiative that will provide 500 gifts on Feb. 14. “We always send them just in time for Valentine’s Day with the idea that children in the hospital would be missing the Valentine’s Day party at school and as a result they would be feeling very sad,” Twigg said. “My students decorate little cards that are attached to the pillows.” The card’s message: “This pillow has been stuffed full of good wishes just for you!” Jane Jarboe, Children’s director of family and volunteer services, said it’s tough for kids to be in the hospital on a holiday. “They are just thrilled to get something handmade from someone who has thought of them,” she said. “I have seen the pillows come in and some of the kids who receive them. It’s an unanticipated surprise. The kids are always delighted.” Jarboe said the bright-colored pillows are “perfect,” being half the size of a standard pillow. “The pillows are cuddly and comforting, and there aren’t a lot of those things in a hospital,” she added. “The kids in the surgical unit have trouble changing positions, so the pillows are almost therapeutic. They can be helpful for the kids, using it to squeeze when taking a deep
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Gahanna mayoral candidate Ryan P. Jolley said he offers voters a “fresh perspective” against incumbent Becky Stinchcomb and challenger Jim McGregor, who served as the city’s mayor for 18 years. Jolley is a law student at the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, from which he’s taking a leave of absence in order to run for Jim McGregor mayor. “The same two individuals have been in charge of the Becky city for nearly Stinchcomb three decades, and I recognized that voters were being left with a false choice for Ryan Jolley the direction of their community,” Jolley told ThisWeek. “We live in a rapidly changing world and are facing myriad challenges distinct from those faced by previous administrations. “It is time for a fresh perspective, creativity in See ON THE BALLOT, page A2
Groundhog Day
Gahanna honors excellence in local business By MARLA K. KUHLMAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers By Eric George/ThisWeek
ject, will headline on the Jazz Stage Friday, June 17. Whitted’s jazz heritage is storied. His father was the late singer and bassist Virtue Hampton and his uncle, trombonist Slide Hampton. Although based in Chicago, Whitted has an Ohio conJames “Super nection, having taught at Ohio Chikan” Johnson State University. Additional jazz headliners include The Urban Jazz Coalition (Saturday) and the Columbus Jazz Orchestra (Sunday). The three-day festival brings together local, re-
Three local businesses were in the spotlight Feb. 2, during Gahanna’s 14th annual Groundhog Day economic forecast breakfast at Creekside Conference & Event Center. Development director Sadicka White and her staff presented the Excellence in Development Awards, recognizing development projects that advance exemplary design, promote community, evoke positive, responsible growth and encourage economic progress. Lincoln Circle Partners LLC, 255 Lincoln Circle, was honored for the construction of a 3,300 square foot facility to house Charles R. Porter Company and one other office tenant. The $880,000 project created eight new jobs in Gahanna and was the first new project in the Olde Gahanna area since the development of the Olde Gahanna Vision Plan. Accepting the award on behalf of Lincoln was Charles Porter. Pilot Freight Services and Accurate Transporta-
See BLUES & JAZZ FESTIVAL, page A7
See GAHANNA BUSINESSES, page A2
Jefferson Elementary School first-grader Seryna Cledhom, 6, stuffs a pillow Feb. 7 in the music room. The See PILLOWS, page A6 school will send more than 500 pillows to Nationwide Children’s Hospital on Valentine’s Day.
Blues & Jazz Fest organizers name headliners ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Gahanna’s 13th annual Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival is set for June 17-19. It will bring two national blues headliners to the city, as well as expanded and free activities for the kids. Karen Eylon, director of the Gahanna Conventions & Visitors Bureau (CVB), said that for the first time ever, the festival and the Columbus Blues Alliance will present two nationally acclaimed blues headliners in Bill “Watermelon Slim” Homans and James “Super Chikan” Johnson. The duo will perform together on Saturday, June 18, on the Blues stage. “We’re excited about that,” Eylon said.
See COUNCIL, page A7
Jolley entrance to mayoral race means November runoff required
Students use pillows to make music, valentines
By MARLA K. KUHLMAN
be switched to a new health plan starting March 1. The new plan puts a little more burden on employees, she said. Under the medical-insurance plan, the contribution from the employees will be 6 percent in 2011, 7 percent in 2012 and 8 percent in 2013. “The savings to the city will be about $17,000,” she said.
“The Gahanna CVB and the festival planning committee are already putting plans into action for this year’s festival,” said Laurie Jadwin, festival chairperson. “The Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival is first and foremost about presenting great muBill “Watermelon sical artists and their music in Slim” Homans a family-friendly environment.” Additional blues headliners will include: Braille Blues Daddy, Bryan Lee (Friday), Mikey Jr. (Saturday) and No Saints, No Saviors, Allman Brothers Tribute (Sunday). Jazz trumpeter, composer, producer and educator Pharez Whitted, with the Liquid Crystal Pro-
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